The use of image reversal in microelectronic fabrication has been widely used for applications where self-alignment of a gate electrode to an underlying implant is needed. This is particularly the case for the process of commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,613,402 issued Sep. 23, 1986 to Losee et al entitled "Method of Making Edge-Aligned Implants and Electrodes Therefor". Common image reversal processes rely on the use of an oxidizable layer such as polysilicon to achieve a reversed image. A patterned layer of silicon nitride residing on a polysilicon layer provides openings which expose the surface of the polysilicon layer. By oxidizing the surface of the exposed polysilicon one can reverse the image of the nitride onto the polysilicon. This is done by etching off the nitride and patterning the polysilicon using the oxidized surface of the polysilicon as an etch mask. The resultant pattern in the polysilicon gate is the reversed image of the originally patterned nitride layer. Key disadvantages to such a process include the high temperature needed to oxidize the surface of the polysilicon and the many process steps needed to exact a result.